A Brief Look at Chanute (1986) 

Hi everyone--Wow, I had no idea so many people had viewed and enjoyed this! I posted it a while back, and never looked again, until now! So then, just fyi, going back, I was a recent UofI grad at that time (mid-'80s) in Urbana-Champaign, and I started a video production company (really though, my way of paying rent was as a bartender at the Ramada/Chancellor in Champaign, at Neil and Kirby). So through some luck and a friend, I was actually commissioned to shoot, write, and edit this video way back then(!), and posted it a couple years ago, after all these years. Some background----the narrator was my father, Art Hellyer, who himself was stationed at Chanute during WWII, and after the war became a radio and tv personality in Chicago. He was #1 on 4 different stations in Chicago in 4 different decades! (You can see more about him by searching RU-vid for "Wake Up, Chicago! The Art Hellyer Story.") And wow, my co-director was old friend Fred Marx, who would go on to co-produce "Higher Goals" and the Oscar-nominated "Hoop Dreams" (who knew?!). And I, after all these years now here in Chicago, still make videos for companies, and some documentaries, and I owe so much of all I have to the experience(s) of making this Chanute video--which was my FIRST client video! I still remember the couple who hired me for it, although unfortunately I don't remember their names now. Nice folks. Oh, and my father, the narrator here and former WWII Chanute soldier, unfortunately passed away a couple months ago, at the age of 95. So, thanks again, everyone, for all the great messages, and all the memories!!! Jeff Hellyer

Great presentation of a memory I'll live with forever.i was 18 and assigned there in 1971 fire fighting school. Then Nellis AFB. Nev. then RAF SCULTHORPE UK. THANKS

I was an 18 Year old Airman at Chanute back in 1986. This video brought back a lot of memories of Chanute, taking classes at White Hall, eating in the Dining Hall, and even working out in the gym. Thank you for the video.

Thank you Chanute and the U.S.A.F you taught me my job and launched my career into aviation and gave me the opportunities to succeed in life.

I taught in missile school there '72-'76. First time I've seen this video. Those were the days! Thumbs up.

This does bring back a lot of memories. I was at Chanute from Oct-Dec 89 as a fire student. I remember wearing a ski mask and those blue all weather coats during the winter as we rode out to school. Man when that corn was gone there was nothing to stop the wind!! LOL! Two of my uncles went to Chanute as well, one was fire and the other was a jet mech. I was in the 72d Student Sqdn 72nd StuS. I remember Freddy Krueger totally. Man what a blast from the past. My dorm was down the street from that Minuteman I at the gate. Down the street, hang a left and there was a B-25 Mitchell parked out front. Thanks for posting! Go AIR FORCE!

My late husband, Jim Heaps, was an instructor here at this time My son was born in that hospital Brings back wonderful bittersweet memories Thanks for the video

I was there from Dec-86 through April 87, had an awesome time while there.

How time flies!! I was at Chanute AFB from September until October, 1980, for FIRE PROTECTION training. After I graduated from the Fire Fighter training, I PCS'ed to RAF UPPER HEYFORD, ENGLAND. The BEST TWO years of my life. I worked as a Fire Fighter ( flight-line mostly) for just under a year there, having been a "pupil" under a guy named SrA. Mark Farias. Google THAT guy. He ALWAYS had his shit together!!!!! Loved that man!!! He help with my development in soooooo many ways I cannot even begin to explain! Also, my first tattoo was done at the RANTOUL NEWS AGENCY (weird name for a tattoo shop) in 1980. And....to wrap up this post....I remember seeing a movie called "THE SHINING" on base as it was a new release.

Spent my nineteenth birthday, stationed at Chanute in 1978.

They don't Shoot ya they Chanute ya!! I was stationed there Nov 86 to May 87! Thanks for this video!

I was sent there right after OTS in August and September 1968. I rode a train from Lackland to Rantoul. I always thought that was hilarious me being in the AF and having sent there on a train. Never felt like I was on an AFB until i would have to go to the flight line. I looked at it on Google Earth recently and it was heart sinking to see it where it is now. Shame it had to be abandoned by the AF. Thanks for sharing the video.

I was at Chanute in Aug-Nov '75, for Fuels. My first exposure to Domino's Pizza, lol. I saw "Jaws" there in the base theater, and there was a really cute "older" woman (in her 20s, if memory serves) who worked at one of the BX concessions. I was horribly shy then, so I never worked up the nerve to chat with her. One of the details I was assigned before my training started was painting desks at the base MARS station. Good memories.

Went through piston engine flight engineer training at CHANUTE AFB back in the early 50's, earned my wings and flew as a FE on WB-29 aircraft for the 56th Weather Recon Squadron, YAKOTA AFB, JAPAN during the Korean War era. After completing my tour of duty in the Far East, I was reassigned to CHANUTE and became an Instructor in test blocks on R- 4360 engines. FOND MEMORIES.

Wow! Truly a blast from the past. I went through jet engine mechanic school early 87. I always remember that Minute Man 3 Missile at the main gate.

I was stationed their from Dec 81 to May 82 in the AGE school. Great memories.

Spent 3 years as a brat (Jan '72 - Dec - '74) and went to Pleasant Acres El, Myna Thompson Jr, JW Eater Jr and RTHS for those years. Lived at 1442-B Faith Dr. (NE corner of the base). Dad was a motion picture photographer making training films. Was also stationed there from March '84 - May '84 attending Special Purpose Vehicle Mechanic School. Used to borrow a Lt friend's car (friend from the local church's congregation), after I was able to get off base privileges. Loved being saluted while coming back onto base while driving the car.

Was there in 87 for AGE training. This video brings back some memories.

Great memories, stationed there from Oct '85 - Apr '86 .....cold days :-)

I was a young airman at Chanute back in 1988 and this video brings back a lot of good memeries that I have of my HYD training on a T-38. I really enjoyed the video, thanks for playing it.

0:08 Nice shot of an EC-121 Warning Star. It is an AWAC version of the Lockheed Constellation, aka Connie. A beautiful aircraft that looks great no matter its use.

Me and our team was sent there TDY from McClellan AFB , California back in 1989 to repair some wet telephone cables. Glad😀 I got a chance to visit Chanute before they closed it down. A lot a history there.

I was there 1966-67 for autopilot training, all winter!!

That is me at 4:14. Thumbs up!

I was there January 1985 thru July 1985 for tech school on maintenance of flight simulators. Was the 2nd to last class of flight sim tech training. We were told we were going to be phased out by civilians running the flight sim maintenance in the next few years. I still thoroughly enjoyed my training and time at Chanute. It's really a shame it's gone.

Did my ICBM training there Jan-May 1986. Lots of memories in this vid. Thanks for posting.

Went to Minuteman school in 67-68, ended up at Malmstrom AFB, MT. after that and then went back in 72 for another missile school, Short Range Attack Missile (SRAM), Minuteman and SRAM training were all held in Grissom Hall. Electronics training was in White Hall. Ended up at Griffiss AFB, NY after SRAM school and was the only one on the base that worked or knew anything about SRAM for about 4 months until the next graduate showed up. Good memories just hated the muggy weather.

Went bye there several years ago. So sad to see it rune down and destroyed by abandonment. I understand that the museum is also closed now.

Good video it sure brings back memories to me. I was there 1985 going through missile systems maintenance.

I was there in 84/85 cross-training to be an engine troop. Enjoyed it all. RIP Chanute AFB. They should have BRAC'ed Keesler instead since it's been destroyed twice by hurricanes, but such is life.

Became a firefighter there in 1983. I miss it.

Chanute AFB was my first duty station in 1983 working in CBPO.

That T-6 at the end is now one of the geico skytyper planes currently still flying!!!

Excellent video find!! Thanks for posting it.

What an awesome video. Thanks for sharing! I've heard the awesome stories about the base when it was thriving, but seeing actual video of it thriving puts a lot of things in perspective. I live in Gifford which is 6 miles east of Rantoul.

Was there from Oct - Nov 1986 for POL Training (aka Fuels Specialist). End up becoming a 22-year career that launched me into currently working for DoD for the past 37 years.

Aircraft Electrical Systems Specialist Course August through December of '83. Great memories.

I attended Fuels School in '91. Was right in the dead of winter. Jan - Feb

Celebrated my 18th Birthday at Chanute in December 1976.........It was cold, it was cold, damn it was cold!!!!!!!

I was at Chanute 77 Oct /78Jun MSL Tech. Got my 7level in snow removal there

I lived there as a child in 1964-67. I lived in an area call “Ash Housing”. I had Mrs. Horne as my fifth grade teacher. My dad’s name was John Dye. One of the things I remember was when the donut shop was built.. it was a big deal! It was called “Spudnuts” (since it was potato based ) and lots of people would pack their kids in the car and park in front of that small building being constructed for hours and just watch those poor guys work, day and night. We were a bit starved for entertainment I guess, lol. Mosquito trucks would spray and fog every evening no matter if the kids were outside playing they would just spray us anyway. I remember thinking at 9 years old “this can’t be good for us” . On our way to Mass one Sunday I remember my mom and us kids almost got hit by a plane landing because she didn’t stop at the flashing light to wait for it to reach the runway. I remember sonic booms so much. A very interesting place to be a kid.

I live on the base in one of the old housings.

Wow! Attached to the Naval Unit as staff at the NDI Training School Oct '85-May 87'

I was there in 1976 for Aircraft Electrician school... To this day, the best hamburger I EVER had was from the bowling alley grill... Butter toasted buns! Great, now I'm hungry...

I was there is November & December 84. Ground Equipment. Great for Me I Lived in Chicago. Just remember dorms , class rooms and flight line for exercise.

Was there for a tour while I was in high school. That was back in 76 if I remember right

THANK YOU 4 POSTING

That. Was. Awesome!

I use to work on that AGE equipment at Sheppard AFB after Chanute closed. That was the same AGE I was taught in Tech School 80-81. Good Times BUT being Retired is BETTER!!!

My avatar is a pic of me taken at Chanute in front of the Blue Sprite Drill Team dorm which I was a member of way back in 1985 Aug-Dec. I was an AGE student. Edit: this comment will make no sense when /if I change my avatar pic.

My dad was stationed there in the late 70s. We lived right on base. My mother worked as a civilian on base as well. My stepmom was some kind of educator there. Not really sure what she did.

Hands on training was the key to our success. You cannot learn unless you did it yourself. We drilled many times over in our assigned field of study.

@ 2:07 Should say "Work anywhere in the world, If you have an A&P license" !!!!!

I was there 3/92. I believe the base shut down the following year. All I remember is going to an off base club called Bradleys, and walking to the movie theater off base to watch Wayne's World when it came out. I was there for POL (fuels) 2F0x1.

1989... I remember Fred Krueger.

I was born there in 55. Lol looks like it was a cool place

I did AGE Mech training here in 1979

I went to avionics school there in the winter of 87/88. Got drunk one night at the Hitchin Post. Got rousted by the SPs stumbling back to my dorm. Ended up with an article 15 and 10 days in correctional custody. Boy, was that fun!

Drove through the base today and it's trashed . Such a mess.

Was there March - May 69 jet engines

awesome video

I was there in 1976 .

Stationed there in 1985 AGE tech school.

That'd be a -60 turbine generator and a 3-system MULE. Breezy's Tattoo parlor was just off base in Rantoul as well. DINSTAAR.

okay...who remembers the real life Freddy Krueger who was an instructor there around 88 / 89? If my memory is right , he did a class on some sort of legal or safety stuff that everyone had to go through upon arrival, no matter what AFSC you where there for. One of those guys who acts like a crotchety old bastard just to mess with the trainees, but was actually a nice guy!.....I still remember getting there mid-February and thinking it was the coldest / snowiest place I had ever seen! Every morning began with a weather check to see if it was too cold to march to classes.

It's a travesty to see the rapid abandonment and rapid structural decay of this base.

Half of these buildings are gone or have been repurposed. The old base has vhanged so much in the last 30 years.

The Weather Radar AN/FPS-77 at 2:37 in the video is one of the several weather sensors I learned in 1988.

I received my jet engine training at Chanute in 1976...

Everyday in the morning and then at about 3:30 you would see a huge plume of smoke coming out of the 900 area and it was a fire training I painted the building that they changed their fire suits at before they went and after they came back and they fired that fire off and it was so hot we had to go to the other side of the building it was unbelievable now it is a Haven for Section 8 housing in some of the areas and then nicer houses are owned by people who really take care of their houses like they used to say don't shoot them Chanute them

I was there in 1966 for AGE school. I remember the old chow hall and how we at like kings. If you left there hungry, it was your own fault!

Would any AGE people happen to know what the name of the instructor @ 1:23 of video, teaching on the hydraulic test stand/Mule? I was there in 87, just cannot remember name right now.

The timbers and pit and ping

AGE school 1986

I wrote to Chanute but no one got back to me? Is it still a great place to be?

Yeah baby - AGE May of 87. Good times.

Avionics instrument tech 1973.

1964....Chanute to learn repair of environmental systems on aircraft.

Who Bowls in uniform???

Electrics Training 1988

To all who worked or were trainees did anyone know Chief Master Sgt. Gotulla

Shit, I used to live in Rantoul

I was permnent party SPs mid '70s. It sucked. It would get sooo Cold. Big thrill was Saturday night at the Airmen's Club. Usually a fight ~2200-2300. Probably fighting over a rare female, or a WAF.